At my wits end…

[ClareKnight]

Just after a bit of support, my 6 year old has had a “poo problem” for 3 years now. She started off struggling to poo, we went to gp and they gave her lactulose, that didn’t work so they added senna and it just got worse and worse. She then went on movicol up to 12 sachets to clear her out , which it did and then loose stools just continued (like water) so they stopped the movicol completely. Then back to square one all bunged up with poo so the GP referred her to the continence service which they done the disimpaction with movicol again. We knew what was going to happen and it did . She cleared out and slowly took her back down on the movicol to half a sachet a day and now she is bunged up again. 1 sachet was making it to loose. She constantly wears a nappy as there is constant leaking everyday. Her poor teaching assistant is having to change her three times a day at school. Now the school is pulling us in for a meeting and she has now been referred to a paediatrician at the hospital! It’s made my daughters confidence disappear, she constantly looks pale and tired. It’s been going on so long!

[Alicass]

Really feel for you.

Can she tell when she needs the toilet? Perhaps it's overflow that's coming out.

If the school are pulling you in for a meeting contact your local school nurses. The school may not understand her condition. School nurses can liaise with the school.

My son came out with dirty clothes nearly every day in year 1 and I was beyond stressed. Our Paediatrician was useless. In 2018 we discharged my son as we were getting nowhere.

Join Movicol Mummies on Facebook. 10,000 members and a very supportive group.

Xxx

[SallyandPaul]

Hi there, not going to be a great deal of help but sending loads of understanding !! My daughter is nearly 13 and has suffered since she was three. Now has to use a colonic irrigation system which helps hugely. It sounds like where your daughter has had this for so long her bowels are stretched, therefore muscles lax and can't hold the poo in when they need to. I'm afraid this can take years to correct. I've always found it nearly impossible to get the movicol dosage right. Try spoonful by spoonful and experiment to get the dosage right. Good luck. We know how tough it is. Just remember its not her fault or yours.

[14crosstitch14]

We had the same problem, and it was worse as child lives 50/50 so half done half not, anyway a good toilet routine helped had to push to get her mum doing the same, routine before and after meals she needs lots of fluids and exercise to get her body going again. My step child likes soreen which is a good source of fibre. We did all this she also learning to sit and relax on the toilet and listen to her body. Use books,toys anything that will occupy her take it slow. Poo story may help. Taken over 12 months, she needs the movicol at her mothers and we haven't needed it at all. Her dad knows his daughter lots of encouragement. The fidget toy worked for a while. Hope this helps. X

[Strugglingmumofboy]

I am sorry it is so hard. I flit from despair to feeling hopeful. Try and be hopeful it will may the time easier. Sound a referral to the paediatrician is a good thing. Maybe she needs clearing out again then smaller maintenance dose or different maintenance laxative.

[Billylilly]

Hi I’m sorry to hear this. Although our little 4 year old still has soiling accidents we have found that disimpaction has to be done regularly. His paediatric doctor also has put him on a laxative as well as movicol because apparently the laxative helps to actually push the poo out. He also lives off watered down fresh apple juice which helps. Also not sure if you are but we found that we couldn’t give him vitamin medicine such as abidec because that really made him constipated. I know once he starts soiling he needs a disimpaction with movicol but it’s not easy as with him it takes about a week to work and when they are at playgroup/school it’s even more difficult. I hope your meeting goes ok, remember it is a medical condition and they do need to support your child.

[ClareKnight]

So the meeting at school went ok, well I thought it did until I came home! I now have to drop my daughter to school for start time of 8.40 I then have to go back at 9.30 to change her and then back at 11 to change her again. Apparently she doesn’t need changing in the afternoons. I get it’s a pain for the school but I feel like they’ve passed the buck because it’s not a nice job.

[14crosstitch14]

My step daughter had the same problem mainly at her mum's and we did everything, she had movicol/ high fibre diet. She needed a constant routine toilet beforevor after everybmeal and time to relax and not to be rushed off the toilet. Dirolyte will help with runny/ direahe as it replaces what bodys looseing and she should start being a little more solid. Sweet corn in her diet every 2-3 days helped. Lots of veg and fluids.